Simply lazy – right?

The Binge Eating Disorder. Emergence and understanding of a complex eating disorder from a psychotherapeutic, particularly individualpsychological view

Abstract

Despite the high number of people affected by a binge eating disorder, affected are still misunderstood and stigmatized because of their weight. Previously existing and available literature, knowledge, definitions and research are described. In addition, the interviews with experts give an insight into the disorder, its development and the psychotherapeutic treatment. The interviews were processed according to the qualitative content analysis (Mayring, 2015) and interpreted in terms of individual psychology (Antoch, 1995).

The therapeutically most relevant challenges for those affected appear to be their deficit in emotion regulation, in addition to being overweight, social stigmata and the physical damage that follows. Binging numbs ones’ needs, wants, and feelings. Inadequate handling is the result of poorly learned coping strategies for emotions and conflicts. As a rule, these are already insufficiently developed in the previous generations and are passed on to the next.